Package assembler for meat packaging machine



Dec. 10, 1957 D. R. FORRY ETAL 2,815,624

PACKAGE ASSEMBLER FOR MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 2'7, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Doria/d R brzy d A e/22y E Iiyaxz Z AW 7474M Dec. 10,1957 FORRY r 2,815,624

PACKAGE ASSEMBLER FOR HEAT PACKAGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 27. 1956 H I III" In M Dec. 10, 1957 D. R. FORRY ETAL 2,815,624

PACKAGE ASSEMBLER FOR MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 27. 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 3 if i 11:" f 90 i6 1. i I k 84: l r i I i g 1 1 1 1% i;1151 7' i ii Ja /l i1 5 8 az 1" I .f e i;

m 1..|1\ 1: "ti Y 11 E 66 p 1 1 I 72 741 33 a I 1 45 1 7a 9 1 72 ,9] 67M2 6 M5 M MG 23' 3g 20 Q M4 I M9 i f i n i /06 F X H2 M Y 42 l/fi "fna'ezzionv i Dona ZdJE. Era? United States atent 2,815,624 PatentedDec. 10, 1957 PACKAGE ASSEMBLER FOR MEAT PACKAGING MACHINE Donald R.Furry. Hilliards, and Henry B. Tryon, C0-

lumhus, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Dale E. McCartyApplication April 27, 1956, Serial No. 581,131

19 Claims. (31. 53-184 This invention relates to a package assembler fora meat packaging machine wherein the package is of the kind shown in thepatent applications of Dale E. McCarty, Serial No. 295,940, filed June27, 1952, and now abandoned, Serial No. 338,687, filed February 25,1953, now Patent No. 2,754,959, and Serial No. 359,091, filed June 2,1953, which packages consist of retaining rings used in conjunction withsheets of wrapping material such as transparent Saran," and discs thatmay be sprung into the retaining rings to retain between the wrappingmaterial and the disc, meat or other products in an air tight manner forsale in retail grocery stores and the like.

On object of the invention is to provide an automatic package assemblerto assemble packages on successive ring plates of a packaging machineconveyor on which sheets of wrapping material and the meat or otherproduct K to be wrapped are superposed, followed by the introduction ofa disc on the product, the assembly operation being performed at onestation of the machine and consisting of the forcing of the productthrough the retaining ring, and then forcing the edge of the disc into agroove of the ring for completing the package.

Another object is to provide an assembler comprising a ram adapted toforce a disc against the product while it is supported on a sheet ofSaran above an open ring, and then force the product through the ringand the sheet partially therethrough whereupon the disc is snapped intoa groove of the ring with the Saran held between the edge of the discand the bottom of the groove.

Still another object is to provide a cut-otf knife for cutting squaresof the Saran from a strip thereof, and a circular knife for cutting thecorners oil the squares so as to provide circular discs of Saran thatsubstantially fit the disc and retaining ring.

A further object is to provide the ram and the knives vertically movablein a controlled sequence with suitable provision for spring pressure toeffect proper operation of the knives and ram during the assemblingoperation.

Still a further object is to provide means for releasing the corners cutfrom the Saran and conveying the same away from the completed package soas to prevent fouling the operation of the machine after completion ofthe packages thereby.

With these and other objects in view, our invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of ourpackage assembler, whereby the objects above contemplated are attained,as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims andillustrated in detail on the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a packaging machine for meatand the like showing our package assembler applied thereto in (1) Thisapplication, other aspects of the machine being disclosed and claimed inthe following copending applications;

(2) The application of Donald R. Forry, my coinvcntor, Serial No.580,!24 filed April 23, 1956;

(3) Another application of Donald R. Ferry, Serial No. 581,680 filedApril 30, 1956;

(4) The application of James W. Smelker, Serial No. 580,036 filed April23, 1956.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation partly in section of the packageassembler portion of the machine shown in Fig. l;

It is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top sectional view of a package of the kind assembled in ourpackage assembler;

Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical detail sectional view on the line 66 ofFig. 4; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views similar to a portion of Fig. 3 showingdifferent successive steps in the operation of our package assembler.

On the accompanying drawings, the reference character F indicates ingeneral the frame of the machine on which the various operating elementsthereof to be described are mounted. The frame F may be supported byfour posts it) extending upwardly from a suitable base (not shown).

Journailed in the frame F is a main shaft 12 on which is mounted a pairof main sprockets 14. Also journalled in the frame F is an idler shaft16 on which is a pair of idler sprockets 18. A pair of conveyor chains29 are trained around the sprockets 14 and 18 for the purpose ofcarrying ring plates 32 for rings R to successive stations of themachine as will hereinafter appear. These stations are indicated bynumbers in circles on Fig. I of the drawings as follows:

For driving the main shaft 12, at Geneva wheel 22 is provided, operatedby a Geneva arm 24. The Geneva arm 24 is secured to a Geneva arm shaft26 on which is mounted a drive sprocket 28. A drive chain 30 extendsfrom the drive sprocket 28 downwardly to a suitable source of power suchas an electric motor with an appropriate step-down gearing which, beingconventional, is not shown.

The ring plates 32 are spaced along the conveyor chains 21) and havecircular openings 33 therein to receive the rings R. Each plate 32 alsohas a pair of side flanges 34- extending past the chains 20 throughwhich propelling rods 36 extend from one chain to the other. Also,positioning rods 38 extend through slots 40 of the flanges 34 whicharrangement permits the chains 20 to extend around the sprockets M and18 and at the same time properly carry the ring plates 32 with them andaround the sprockets as the chains travel due to rotation of thesprockets. To vertically position the ring plates 32. chain guide bars21 and 23 are provided (see Fig. 3).

The sprocket shaft 16 carries four ring traps bases 35 adjustablymounted on a ring trap base holder 37 secured to the shaft. Rods 39 andtubes 41 are threaded together for adjustment purposes and support thering trap bases 35, the adjustment permitting the ring traps to occupythe proper position with respect to the ring plates 32 as the platespass around the sprockets 18.

The machine disclosed includes a ring feed mechanism shown generally atRF. Our package assembler is shown generally at PA and a disc feed showngenerally at DF which are fully disclosed and claimed in the threeeo-pending applications herein mentioned in connection with thedescription of Fig. 1.

Ring feed station Saran clamp station Loading station Assembly stationSaran removal station Discharge station Four support rods 42 extendupwardly from the frame F adjacent the right-hand end of the machine asshown in Fig. l and a head 44 is mounted thereon. Upper and lowercrossheads 46 and 48 are vertically slidable on the rods 42. Thecrosshead 46 is driven by a pair of connecting rods 50 having theirupper ends pivoted to studs 52 extending from the crosshead 46 and theirlower ends rotatable on the crank pins of cranks 54. The cranks aremounted on a crank shaft 56.

For driving the crank shaft 56, we provide a chain 58 operativelyconnecting it to a cam shaft 6: and a chain 62 and a sprocket 63 drivethe cam shaft. The chain 62 extends downwardly to the drive means forthe chain 30 so as to rotate the crank shaft once per cycle of.operation of the Geneva 2224.

The upper crosshead 46 (see Fig. 3) carries a ram and the lowercrosshead 48 carries a straight cutoff knife 78 and a circular knife 88.The lower edges of these knives are serrated. The ram 80 is floatinglymounted on a stud 64 carried by the crosshead 46 and head 48. The sleeve72 is biased to the raised position shown in Fig. 3 by a plurality ofsprings 86 and may be propelled downwardly by a plurality of pins 82. Apin actuating plate 84 is carried by the stud 64 for this purpose. Theplate 84 is vertically adjustable on a flange 81 which has a lockingsection 85 locked by a set screw 83 after the adjustment has been made.The flange is biased to the position shown against a stop ring 79 by aspring 90.

An annular pressure member 87 is supported by shouldered screws 89 onthe sleeve 72, the intruding re- 5 duced ends of the screws passingthrough slots of the sleeves 72 and 74. There may be three or four ofthe screws 89 and associated slots and likewise three or four of thepins 82 and the springs 86.

A sleeve 91 having an internal ridge 93 extends upwardly from the sleeve74 and is secured to the crosshead 48 by screws 99.

The crosshead 48 is suspended from the crosshead 46 by a pair of rods 92having heads 94 engaging latch levers 96 which are spring biased at to aposition of engagement under these heads. This arrangement permits thelatch levers 96, pivoted at 97, to be manually swung out from under theheads 94 to lower the head 48 for adjustment purposes of the parts suchas adjusting the stud 64 relative to the head 46 or the rods 92 relativeto the head 48, the parts being threaded for this purpose. Stop collars98 are provided on the rods 42 to support the head 48 during theadjusting operation and also during each operating cycle as will bedescribed.

Each ring plate 32 is provided with a circular groove 100 to receive thecircular knife 88. The straight knife 78 descends to a position betweensuccessive plates 32 as obvious in Fig. 2.

At station (4) as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, wrapping material 102 such asSaran, spans the ring plate 32 and the ring R therein and is held tautby Saran clamps 104 under the action of springs 106. The product to bewrapped such as slices of meat indicated at 108 are manually placed onthe wrapper 102 at station (3) and carried to station (4) over a locaterplate 76 just under the rods 36 and 38. At station (4), the meat 108 iscentered under the sleeve 74 and the ram 80.

Provision is made for releasing the Saran clamps 104 at the proper timecomprising a rock shaft 110 to which is secured a pair of release arms112 located under the clamps 104 as shown in Fig. 3 and provided with acam follower 114 as shown in Fig. 2. A cam 116 is adapted to coact withthe cam follower 114 for elevating the release arms 112 and thereby theclamps 104 to release the g edges of the Saran 102 fed from a roll 103thereof.

A vacuum hose 120 is supported in a bracket 122 for a purpose which willhereinafter appear. The hose extends to a suitable vacuum blower (notshown as it forms no part of our present invention).

Practical operation At the proper time during the cycle of operation ofthe packaging machine, the heads 46 and 48 descend from the positionshown in Fig. 3 for first positioning the sleeve 74 near but slightlyabove and out of contact with the Saran it'll on the plate 32 and themember 87 engaging it under its own weight. The crosshead 48 at thistime is resting upon the stop collars 98 on the rods 42. The totalweight of sleeve 87, sleeve 72, screws 89,

. ins tilt. and springs 86 was determined experimentally so as to holdthe Saran with a pressure just enough to allow the Saran to slip undertension and without tearing. This slippage occurs during the downwardmovement of the meat or other material 108 to the position shown in Fig.7.

Continued downward movement of the crosshead 46 causes the circularknife 88 to be driven downward as in Fig. 8, compressing the springs 86and applying increased pressure to the annular pressure member 87 duringthe cutting operation shown in this figure.

During the operations described in the last two paragraphs, the ram 80is brought into engagement with a disc D fed into the sleeve 91 by thedisc feed DF disclosed in the co-pending application of Smelkerhereinbefore referred to. This disc slides down a chute 124 and into thesleeve 91 to rest on the internal ridge 93 thereof while the ram 80 isin its upper position shown in Fig. 3, which keeps the disc from fallingthrough the sleeve 74 until the ram engages and positively pushes itthrough to rest on the meat 108 as shown in Fig. 7. The meat was placedon the Saran at station (3), and is engaged by the ram 80 at station (4)as just described whereupon the clamps 104 are released after the knife78 has severed the Saran 108 to provide a square wrapper for the meat.

The Saran is stretched by the downward motion of the ram 80 as shown inFig. 7 and its marginal edge slips frictionally under the lower edge ofthe sleeve 87 which keeps it taut, and as the ram approaches its lowerlimit of movement as shown in Fig. 8 the pin actuating plate 84 engagesthe pins 82 for forcing the circular knife 88 into the groove 100 thussevering the Saran in a circular pattern so that there are noobjectionable corners projecting from the completed package as would bethe case if the entire square wrapper were used. Finally, the disc D issnapped into the groove 118 under the pressure of the spring 70 whichspring is a comparatively high rate type as distinguished from a lowerrate type at 90 for actuating the pins 82 and thereby the sleeve 72 andthe circular knife 88. The package is now completed and the ram 80commences to elevate and later to carry the sleeves 72 and 74 with it tothe position shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the sleeve 87 leaves the Saran102, the waste portion thereon is sucked into the vacuum hose 120 atstation (5) for disposal to prevent fouling the mechanism during furtheroperations of the packaging machine.

The completed package is carried by the conveyor and held againstdropping out of position by a belt 126 (see Fig. 1) trained aroundsuitable pulleys, one of which is carried by a pivoted arm 128, springbiased at 130 to keep the belt taut. The packages are supported by aplatform 132 after they leave the belt 126 and are finally dropped intoa discharge chute 134, one of the completed packages being indicated Padjacent the lower left corner of Fig. 1.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of our package assembler without departing from the real spiritand purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by ourclaims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalentswhich may reasonably be included within their scope.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on the productat said station, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retainthe wrapper taut across the ring, a ram, and means for moving said ramto engage said disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring andthe periphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, said ram beingresiliently mounted on said means.

2. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, a ram, and means for moving said ram to engage said disc andforce the wrapper partially through the ring and the periphery of thedisc into a groove of the ring.

3. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, and a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the wrapper.

4. A package assembler for a packaging machine comprising a conveyorhaving spaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chainscarrying said ring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, apackage assembly station where said ring plates are successivelystationed with a ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning saidring seat, a product to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a discon the product, a ram, means for moving said rarn to engage said discand force the wrapper partially through the ring and the periphery ofthe disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knife moved by said meansinto engagement with the wrapper surrounding the ring to sever acircular disc from the wrapper, and means associated with said circularknife to frictionally engage the wrapper as said ram forces it partiallyinto the ring.

5. A package assembler for a packaging machine comprising a conveyorhaving spaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chainscarrying said ring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, apackage assembly station where said ring plates are successivelystationed with a ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning saidring seat, a product to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a discon the product, a ram, means for moving said ram to engage said disc andforce the wrapper partially through the ring and the periphery of thedisc into a groove of the ring, a circular knife moved by said meansinto engagement with the wrapper surrounding the ring to sever acircular disc from the wrapper, and means associated with said circularknife to frictionally engage the wrapper as said ram forces it partiallyinto the ring, and vacuum means for disposing of the portion of saidwrapper surrounding said circular knife.

6. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station Where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said rum to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the wrapper,means associated with said circular knife to frictionally engage thewrapper as said ram forces it partially into the ring, and means at saidpackage assembling station to release said wrapper clamp means.

7. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the Wrapper,means associated with said circular knife to frictionally engage thewrapper as said ram forces it partially into the ring, means at saidpackage assembling station to release said wrapper clamp means, andvacuum means for disposing of the portion of said wrapper surroundingsaid circular knife.

8. In a package assembler, a ring plate provided with a ring seatadapted to have a ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning saidring seat, a product to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a discon the product, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, and means for moving said ram toengage said disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring andthe periphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, said ram beingresiliently mounted on said means.

9. In a package assembler, a ring plate provided with a ring seatadapted to have a ring in the ring scat thereof, a wrapper spanning saidring seat, a product to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a discon the product, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram. means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the wrapper,a cut-off knife carried by said first means for severing a strip ofwrapping material into pieces, one for each ring plate, and a lostmotion connection from said first means to said Cll'CliiLti knife tocause it to cut the wrapper after said ram has engaged said disc andproduct and after hold-down for the wrapper has been effected.

10. In a package assembler, a ring plate provided with a ring seatadapted to have a ring in the ring scat thereof, a wrapper spanning saidring seat, a product to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a discon the product, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the wrapper,means associated with said circular knife to frictionally engage thewrapper as said ram forces it partially into the ring, means at saidpackage assembling station to release said wrapper clamp means, vacuummeans for disposing of the portion of said wrapper surrounding saidcircular knife, a cutoff knife carried by said first means for severinga strip of Wrapping material into pieces, one for each ring plate, and alost motion connection from said first means to said circular knife tocause it to cut the wrapper after said ram has engaged said disc andproduct and after hold down for the wrapper has been effected.

11. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circular knifesurrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement with thewrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from the wrapper,means associated with said circular knife to frictionally engage thewrapper as said ram forces it partially into the ring, means at saidpackage assembling station to release said wrapper clamp means, vacuummeans for disposing of the portion of said wrapper surrounding saidcircular knife, a cut-off knife carried by I said first means forsevering a strip of wrapping material into pieces, one for each ringplate, and a lost motion, resilient connection from said first means tosaid circular knife to cause it to cut the wrapper after said ram hasengaged said disc and product and after hold-down for the wrapper hasbeen effected.

12. In a package assembler for a packaging machine, a conveyor havingspaced ring plates each provided with a ring seat, chains carrying saidring plates, spaced sprockets traversed by said chains, a packageassembly station where said ring plates are successively stationed witha ring in the ring seat thereof, a wrapper spanning said ring seat, aproduct to be wrapped supported on the wrapper and a disc on theproduct, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retain thewrapper taut across the ring. a ram. means for moving said ram to engagesaid disc and force the wrapper partially through the ring and theperiphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, said means comprising acrosshcad, said ram being resiliently carried thereby, a secondcrosshead, said crossheads being vertically slidablc and the second onesuspended from the first, a sleeve carried by said second crosshead andadapted to engage the wrapper surrounding the ring, a circular knifecarried by said sleeve and adapted to sever a circular disc from thewrapper, said first crosshead having resilient means for moving saidcircular knife to cutting position after said sleeve has engaged thewrapper, means for releasing said wrapper clamp means after saidcircular knife has severed the wrapper, and suction means forwithdrawing the portion of said wrapper surrounding said circular knifeafter it is cut thereby.

13. in a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, a sleeveabove til) the ring plate adapted to receive a disc and direct it to theproduct, and a resiliently mounted ram movable through said sleeve toforce the disc and the product through the ring and the wrapperpartially therethrough and snap the edge of the disc into an internalgroove of the ring with the marginal edge of the wrapper retainedbetween the bottom of the groove and the edge of the disc.

14. A package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, each ofsaid ring plates having releasable clamps to clamp the wrapper to thering plate, said package assembler comprising a sleeve above the ringplate adapted to receive a disc and direct it to the product, and a rammovable through said sleeve to force the disc and the product throughthe ring and the wrapper partially therethrough and snap the edge of thedisc into an internal groove of the ring with the marginal edge of thewrapper retained between the bottom of the groove and the edge of thedisc.

15. In a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, a sleeveabove the ring plate adapted to receive a disc and direct it to theproduct, a ram movable through said sleeve to force the disc and theproduct through the ring and the wrapper partially therethrough and snapthe edge of the disc into an internal groove of the ring with themarginal edge of the wrapper retained between the bottom of the grooveand the edge of the disc, a circular knife surrounding said ram andmoved thereby into engagement with the wrapper surrounding the ring tosever a circular disc from the wrapper, means associated with saidcircular knife to frictionally engage the wrapper as said ram forces itpartially into the ring, a cut-off knife carried by said ram forsevering a strip of wrapping material into pieces, one for each ringplate, and a lost motion connection from said ram means to said circularknife to cause it to cut the wrapper after said ram has engaged saiddisc and product and after hold-down for the wrapper has been effected.

16. In a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, a sleeveabove the ring plate adapted to receive a disc and direct it to theproduct, a second sleeve carried thereby and movable to frictionallyengage the wrapper with the plate, and a resiliently mounted ram movablethrough said sleeves to force the disc and the product through the ringand the wrapper partially therethrough and snap the edge of the discinto an internal groove of the ring with the marginal edge of thewrapper retained between the bottom of the groove and the edge of thedisc.

17. In a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, releasableclamps to clamp the wrapper to the ring plate, a sleeve above theproduct, a second sleeve carried thereby and movable the ring plateadapted to receive a disc and direct it to to frictionally engage thewrapper with the plate, means for then releasing said clamps, and a rammovable through said sleeve to force the disc and the product throughthe ring and the wrapper partially therethrough and snap the edge of thedisc into an internal groove of the ring with the marginal edge of thewrapper retained between the bottom of the groove and the edge of thedisc.

18. In a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring, said ring plate having wrapper clamp means to retainthe wrapper taut across the ring, a ram, means for moving said ram toengage a disc on the product and force the wrapper partially through thering and the periphery of the disc into a groove of the ring, a circularknife surrounding said ram and moved by said means into engagement withthe wrapper surrounding the ring to sever a circular disc from thewrapper, means associated with said circular knife to frictionallyengage the wrapper as said ram forces it partially into the ring, meansat said package assembling station to release said wrapper clamp means,and a cut-ofi knife carried by said first means for severing a strip ofwrapping material into pieces, one for each ring plate.

19. In a package assembler for a packaging machine having a conveyorprovided with a ring plate adapted to support a ring with a wrapperspanning the ring and a product on the wrapper to be wrapped, a sleeveabove the ring plate adapted to receive a disc and direct it to theproduct, a cut-off knife adapted to sever the wrapper back of the plate,and a ram movable through said sleeve to force the disc and the productthrough the ring and the wrapper partially therethrough and snap theedge of the disc into an internal groove of the ring with the marginaledge of the wrapper retained between the bottom of the groove and theedge of the disc, said cut-off knife being carried by said ram, and acircular knife adapted to cut a circular piece from said wrapper withits marginal edge surrounding said ring.

No references cited.

